Creative Spaces & The Great Outdoors
“Creativity is intelligence having fun”- Albert Einstein
In March 2020, the UK government announced that we were entering a national lockdown with UK residents confined to their homes unless for essential purposes such as: exercise, grocery shopping (with restrictions), essential work that could not be done from home (key work) or collecting medication.
During lockdown, the need to protect and enhance our wellbeing, became an ever present topic in national discourse. Studies into the impact previous pandemics have on mental health and wellbeing are also pretty concerning- especially as the full impact of lockdown and the pandemic on mental health and wellbeing is still to a large extent unknown.
However, lockdown and the pandemic did arguably teach us a few lessons:
The importance of a place to call home, first time buyers and renters have changed priorities during the pandemic; favouring spaces with gardens and natural lighting compared to larger kitchens in previous years (according to websites such as: Zoopla and Rightmove). .
Interestingly, the demand for places to rent in city centres is also decreasing as working from home becomes more of the norm and flexible working a more common occurrence.
The importance of exercise and time outdoors- that 1 hour of exercise time became truly valuable during lockdown and a key element of many Brits’ routines.
The importance of expression- with thousands working less hours and commutes temporarily a thing of the past, more time on our hands meant that many reunited with once lost creative hobbies.
The importance of the arts- they say absence makes the heart grow fonder, theatre, cinema and music events have certainly been missed during this time. The backlash to the government’s advice around ‘reskilling’ indicates a changing discourse around the arts being a vital part of British culture and something to be protected, as opposed to taken for granted.
So, if we know art and space outside is individually good for us, why not combine the two?
One example where this has worked well is the London Mural Festival. In September 2020, over 150 artists from around the world painted 50 plus large-scale walls across the capital; bringing art to the people in a legal way. The work of London Mural Festival was classified as construction and was therefore allowed under pandemic rules.
Artists were free to create what they desired, with no brief or criteria set. London Mural Festival truly encapsulated inclusivity, art for all (as the pieces are open to the public to view for free) and creative freedom.
Art is a proven way of helping us de-stress. Studies have linked looking at art and positive (anxiety reducing) physiological reactions. The importance of art during times of actual or perceived confinement have also long been studied in the prison populations, with organisations such as the Koestler Trust actively working to ensure art is created and appreciated in secure settings.
Furthermore, exercise too has long been quoted as necessary and beneficial to mental health and emotional wellbeing. NHS guidance currently recommends individuals take part in 150 minutes of aerobic exercise and 2 days strength training a week.
Creative spaces in outdoor spaces also significantly reduces costs around overheads and energy use. Additionally, given the current climate, outdoor spaces allow more opportunities for social distancing to be adhered to.
As the winter fast approaches, I encourage all of you to take a walk around your town, look for the hidden art in your area- be it a large mural, a small graffiti piece, a sculpture or a small mosaic. When you find it, ask yourself how did finding that piece make you feel? Alternatively, why not add some creativity to your local neighbourhood space? It can be something as simple as a happiness keyring or a crochet motif (a group on Facebook are currently leaving handmade crochet pieces around outside spaces in England and Wales with positive messages attached).
Ultimately, art is for everyone and knows no boundaries, let’s enjoy it in a wider variety of spaces.
Written by Mairead Watson
Mairead is from West London, but is a free spirit who often finds herself relocating every few years. Mairead attended Royal Holloway, where she studied Criminology and Sociology and graduated in 2018. Since then, Mairead has used her working career to support others in a number of environments, such as: mental health residential support units and now higher education. Mairead loves writing and creative mediums. However, this is the first piece Mairead has submitted for others to read in a public domain.